Ch: 12 Ginger Dreadnaught

Gary and Shai returned home in the late afternoon, discovering that Ivy and Tallum were still banging their emotions out against each other.

In the bathing pool.

Gary and Shai abandoned their home in the late afternoon, because when your house is also a part of you, having friends and family over is a very intimate affair. Perhaps too intimate.

Even in the market square, dancing to merry tunes they were having a very weird day.

“I’m like ten minutes away from dissolving the house and tumbling those two degenerates into the dirt.” Gary complained. “That's our bed! And I can't stop knowing what is happening! All those questions about size and compatibility are getting answered Shai!”

“I do be knowing this fool! An ye vanish that house, ye shall be sleeping alone in it fer a good long while!” She snarled. “Drop me brother an me sister to the earth durin an act o shared love…”

She paused, considering the ramifications of her tangled relationships. “Never mind that ye filthy beast. Ye do know what I mean.!”

“It was simple in the camp. I just disconnected myself from their tent, like I do the bath…” He sighed. “I liked that tea table. Now I have to get a new one. They are all over the place!”

“How do we go telling them of this boy? How shall we tell, that they may nae die o shame?” Shai asked, looking stricken. “Can it be done? Sweet spirits! Nae in the kitchen! That do be a food preparation surface!”

“When I was a boy I would always chuckle when they sent me to the racks to ‘get wood’ now my racks are tainted. Heh… taint…”

Shai struck him softly. “What o ‘rack’? Ye do often snicker at me chest that wise, do not ye fancy ‘racks’ nae more?”

“You make a fine pair of arguments there…” He gave up halfway to a boob joke. “I can't, not with that still going on.”

“Aye, ye do still have a room at the orphanage yes?” She asked.

“Noooo! Alone, in a room with you, while that is going on? Nope.” He firmly affirmed, most firmly.

“That is not something I want in my head, I have a better Idea!” he pulled her into a second hand shop he knew and began distracting her.

When they left the shop both were dressed in second hand clothes, finery suitable for honest crafters on a date, he led her uptown. “Show me the uplands district Shai!” He twirled her ever present, chiming hips. “Let’s see how the upper crust has fun.”

The uplands district did not, in fact, have fun. There were strict rules about that sort of thing.

Just past the temples of Order and War, through a gate, the streets widened. Fruit and nut trees shaded long parkways and avenues. Homes of understated elegance stood behind carefully maintained front gardens. People strolled with the casual air of the self absorbed, or bustled quickly and quietly on business.

Shops were few and barely noticeable, a bakery and a jeweler, parfumerie and art galleries were the choices up town. It was only outside the uplands gate that things became interesting.

Gary had heard the uplands gate market was more exciting than the market ward, it was more like a festival. Here were food and game booths, vendors of every description, even some traveling performers. A juggler and a card reading fortune teller.

“Ye still dinnae answer me, how kin we tell then whae we did experience, an nay kill them wi shame?”

“Easy, we take this horrible secret to our graves.” Gary replied. “I would rather have that conversation in the next life.”

“An we be silent… it shall surely happen again, aye, tis a terrible secret ye would have me bear.” her smile was cold and cruel. “Ye did push them together, ye do own the home fully, an they know not of my role…”

He could see her slipping out of the responsibility. “Moreover, tis your craft that put them tae frolicking this very day. Wherein does mine responsibility lie?”

She spun into his arms and smiled, “Ye must entertain me this evening wi yer charms an wit.” She kissed him softly. “Then we shall speak to our friends and kin o things most awkward.”

They had perused the stalls and found mostly gambling and games of chance. Neither were much for risking coin on the dice or cards. The card reader looked interesting but just as they decided to head into her tent the pair sensed a change in the energy at home.

“Guilt and embarrassment?” Gary asked. “Aye, wi a touch o self satisfied ego. Shameless oaf.” She said.

On the walk back they sensed the furniture being righted and scattered items tidied. They were waiting outside when the disheveled pair tried to slink away.

“Tallum! Ivy!” Gary lilted their names joyfully. “Come inside for tea!” He draped an overly familiar arm over each, which took some effort with the height differences. “Did I ever tell you about that lacquer tea table, It's an antique…”

As the tea cooled on the table of shame, an ashen pair listened to a furiously blushing pair explain. “…so the home is like an extension of our souls, and we are intimately connected to it, very intimately.”

“Aye, that be your tea table now. An ye shall clean me kitchen counters!” Gary placed a restraining hand on hers.

“This is coming from a very sex positive place, a place of love, but yes, you are cleaning my workbench too, and the router table. You are a craftsman for Pete’s sake, at least respect the tools.”

A shamefaced Tallum was trying to imagine a world where he was not having this conversation, when Ivy said; “Wait, you are scolding us for having sex in your house because its an extension of your soul… Tallum dropped a huge shit in your soul first thing this morning and you didn’t mind.”

Tallum threw a betrayed look at Ivy. “You did too! It was that river carp we ate last night, I knew it tasted funny.” He thought for a moment. “Ohh, Yeah! What,s the big deal Gary?”

“First, thanks for pointing that out Ivy, I hate it. Next, you don't shit all over my soul. It's a toilet, that's how my garden grows.”

He pointed to the restroom. “That's not a high energy romp throughout the entire house.” He calmed himself by visualizing a deep, still pond, and these two drowning in it.

“I love you guys, we love you guys. Don't make us part of a weird thing, now get lost. We are gonna unsummon this whole place and start fresh on the other side of the courtyard.”

In the morning Mikkel came by, dropping off their apprentice badges and the take from their evaluation week. After MIkkel’s cut as group leader, it came to two bronze marks and four copper marks.

Split seven ways with the extra share going to Tawny as the healer… It was pretty good, not let's go shopping money, more like let's pay some bills money.

Gary pulled out his coin pouch to make change for the larger coins and the whole room just stopped.

“You carry that much?” Liam asked.

“Uhhh…” He replied with grace and good form.

“I do be handling my boy’s finances, I have the making of this change.” Shai said crisply, plucking the pouch from his hand and dispatching the coins. She doled them out and then dragged Gary by the ear down into the workshop.

She emptied the wash leather pouch onto the workbench with a clatter. A few dozen iron and copper bits, a few bronze halves and a copper mark tumbled out with two more bronze marks. Together with what Mikkel brought, it was a bit of coin. All added up it was probably a quarter of a gold moon. Gary said as much.

“A quarter of a gold moon ye say, tis all. Aye and me papa’s shop and home be worth a gold moon in all!” She fumed “Fer five golden moons, ye could buy a forge in the main market o the capital ye great fool.”

She took all but the copper and iron bits, handing them back in the now much deflated pouch. Stuffing a plump purse into her own clothes, she complained. “I shall feel a marked woman ere I get this hoard into the bank.”

“I’ll walk you there, I need to do some banking myself.” He said, thinking of the sack of coins in his Pockets! “Where is it in town?”

Shai grinned. “It be in Port Fallon, an four day’s boat ride down river.”

“Ohh, well give it back, I’ll drop it in with the rest” He said, wanting to get this over with.

“The rest o what oh very great fool?” She asked so very sweetly.

“The rest of the giant bag of money that you are going to give me a bunch of crap over, even though there is no bank in this town?” He asked, pulling out the giant bag.

“I get the feeling Z was stupid about money.” He dropped it on the workbench with a dull thud. “I don't care about money. I guess that makes me stupid about money too”

He pushed the bag to her. “I have everything I need right here. Now that I know what death’s head locust and groundworm taste like, I don't need money.”

She laughed and shoved it back at him. “Am I a pack mule tae carry yer great wads o coin? Break yer own back wi that if ye must.”

He fished out the charm bracelet and wrapped it around her wrist. “No fair, if I get stuck with the bag, you carry this.”

“In truth I would rather ye were the impoverished foundling I were told tae expect.” She said, hugging him close. “He be an ‘orphan and bound fer War’, me kin did say when I did tell them I thought well o ye.” She squeezed him tighter. “They do forget that I too, were bound fer War and an orphan under the eyes o the gods and law.”

He stowed the money away and pulled her upstairs. “Come woman, we are independently wealthy. Let us show the common folk how it's done.” He droned in a fair imitation of the breathy upper crust accent in town.

“I’ll nae be letting ye ferget ye ar frae the crafts ward boy!” she hooted in an exaggerated downmarket brogue.

When they got back up, the group had largely dispersed on their own payday errands. Tawny remained, insisting on apologizing for her part in what Gary kept calling ‘eargate’ for some bizarre reason.

“I am fully aware that I may not be fully aware…” He paused for a disturbingly long time. “...and in control of all my faculties. So lets be up front, you, Shai and Liam are my teammates and friends. That's all I have to say.”

He stood up. “I have a delivery to make and a tea table to shop for, please join us if you wish Tawny, though I think I saw Liam headed for the market.”

Shai and Tawny both flew off to he market ward to make that place more beautiful, while Gary had to donkey this dumb violin over to the stupid temple of… nahh, Joy seemed pretty cool, but without Shai nearby he felt less grounded and whole. That was a weakness that needed work.

At the temple to Joy, acolyte Dering was pitiless in her examination of his repairs. “Your master does excellent work.” she said, keeping to the formal routine. “Convey my thanks, apprentice.” As she handed him his violin and bow.

“My master will be gratified.” He said completing the ritual.

“It is even almost in tune!” She said with delight, as the strings sang under her bow. “I shall instruct you master to beat you only lightly, for your impudence.”

Gary knew a challenge to an old fashioned fiddle off, when he heard one. He took his Ironwood instrument and gave it an aggressive chord. “Shall we settle this at sundown then?” He asked.

“Here in the court of Joy under the gaze of the setting sun we shall see.” She said, whirling and stalking away.

By mid morning, the rumor mill had Gary in a duel to the death with a handsome justicar of Order, to defend the honor of an acolyte of Joy from his sinful depredations.

Shai and Tawny took glee in relating the most absurd and scandalous variants in detail.

They had caught the scent of rumor and followed it right to his door of course. He was a notable local weirdo now, like Shai and all his friends. Even Mikkel and Otho, pillars of the community, were weirdos at heart.

After lunch Gary stood up and went into his workshop saying. “I have a musical duel this evening, against a skilled opponent, I need to prepare.” Shai called out. “Wait ye fool! That part were true?”

“Of course, her crew, against my crew. Battle of the bands, old school rules. Get ready, tonight's our first show.” He slid the door closed saying, “Band meeting at third bell. Be there.”

Promptly at the first ring of third, the door opened and Gary dragged his Harmonium out on a two wheeled cart with a harness out front. “OhthO!” He yodeled and the mutt came scurrying up to dive into the harness. “Good boy!” Gary praised.

He presented the cart, it was painted a pleasant light blue with green and dark blue waves at the bottom and big colorful stylized flowers scattered around on the paint job. A block of text on the side said “Mystery Machine” for some reason.

“You like it? Yeah you do!” He decided for them. “I spent a couple days with the cartwrights shop… Three bells til the battle of the bands and we haven't decided on a name. Which is it?”

“Is this one of his fits? Or the usual crazy?” Ivy asked.

“Gary do be a deeply troubled and wounded creature. He do have difficulty wi the real world betimes. We shall humour him an it does no harm.” Shai said firmly.

“Ginger Dreadnaught it is!” He smiled up at his huge friend.

“Tallum, I heard you playing while I was working, sounds good. Follow Ivy and stay on the One. Liam, rhythm Uke, you know how this is going to happen.”

“Shai, tambourine and lucious hips I can always count on you.” He looked to Tawny. “Where do you want to be?” She pulled a tambourine from his shop wall and grinned. “Shai will show me how it's done.”

Their little troupe made its noisy way to the temple district, to the court of Joy. Gary directed the unpacking and set up, as the cart became a simple riser for Ivy’s drum kit, with just a little work.

The harmonium, set off behind the drums, hummed softly as Gary put on the silver cuff. It drew a good bit of mana every second, but less than his base regeneration so he could theoretically run this thing forever.

He had tuned everyone up at the shop, it always always pays to tune everybody together. His troops were as ready as they could be.

He was in his icecream white aquatic fantasy. Liam and tallum were in their feast day best. Shai was in the delicious confection Jennah had created for her… still a solid hit.

Ivy for whatever reason, was wearing an antlered wolf mask and huntsman's leathers behind her drums.

Tawny was also masked and wearing a simple robe over her Healer’s vestments, an obvious fig leaf to indicate Healer’s temple had no part in this battle.

For Joy’s part, they were in their green robes, sleeveless and immaculate. They lounged around on the temple steps.

One was squatting down, grilling fish on a portable brazier. He was big, not Tallum big, but a big dude, with a big drum and wide sneer as they approached.

A tall thin man with a flute leaned on a pillar looking smug, his thin mustache wiggling in excitement.

Slim and blonde, Daniel looked uncomfortable squaring off against Tawny, and musically he never knew what that weird Gary guy would do. The rest? No challenge there. His harp was ready.

A sister and a brother, both on the small and short side, dark haired and intense. He had a guitar of direct lute lineage, she wielded the family’s heirloom violin, freshly repaired by skilled hands and ready for battle.

Tall and spare, Otho sneered at the young upstarts, holding his shamisen aloft he called out.

“Lady Joy hears your call to battle, let none say that Joy’s temple did not ride out against her foes in glorious song! Yea! Lift your voices in praise of her!” He strummed and it filled the court of Joy like a tidal wave.

His crew joined in, dramatically hitting their marks. They were tight, the choreography was a dirty trick. Gary had his own dirty tricks, but Otho wasn't done yet, he had a power of enticement and suggestion like Gary’s own.

Gary felt it sneaking around tugging at hearts and moving emotions. Otho’s power was subtle and persuasive, it tuned the emotions of its target to the frequency of the mage.

They did a classic bountiful blessings, old school hymn that any tent revival back home would have declared a miracle and commenced baptizing everything in sight.

When they wrapped up, Otho cued them and Ginger Dreadnaught lit into a simple called dance.

Liam was rather skilled at the square dance style call and response, it was popular with the kids at the orphanage and featured at most festivals.

“UP… Double and back… Round turn and double and back!”

Gary let his gift start percolating, Shai felt it, and sent hers out as she swept into the crowd, leaving Tawny on tambourine.

Ivy got a little more complex on the drums and Tallum got a bass groove thumping in. That was the trick. The drum and bass were his barbed hook. Now to reel them in.

“And slide right… forward… slide left.. Backandsliderightforwardandsliderightadturn”

Generations of called dances, Shai’s mysterious dance gift and Gary’s Entrainment gift dragged the whole town, including their opponents into a good old fashioned soul train dance line.

‘Upside Down’ by the legendary Diana Ross was the only choice of course.

Liam had learned the lyrics quickly, and with Tawny on backing vocals he could not have better support. It wasn’t perfect, Tawny had to feed him a line or two, but he had fun. His uke barely faltered the whole time.

Afterward, Tallum looked like he just won first prize in a grin like an idiot contest and the prize was a lifelike mask of himself grinning like an idiot. “I like bass.”

“Hey Ivy, This big guy likes bass, you should hook up!” Gary shouted up to his masked drummer. He got a drumstick to the stomach for his jokes.

As they packed up, Gary called out; “We didn’t win this time temple of Joy, but we will be back!”

To the good natured hoots and jeers of the crowd. Shai balanced atop the moving cart shaking her fist, swearing righteous vengeance on Joy. A good time was had by all.

“She can really play that fiddle… Gary mumbled in bed that night. “I wonder if I chose the right girl…” Shai tickled him until he begged for mercy.

He dreamed the hospital dream again, but this time Shai was there, watching with him. Her presence making it much more remote and tolerable.

Not that it mattered, once it started he was in it until the end. She watched in furious silence, understanding little but unable to speak.

Watching a slideshow of your own descent into crippled poverty and homelesness is not a great time for anyone, watching it with the girl you like is probably not optimal. But at least it wasn’t subtitled.

The bit at the end where he slipped out of medium security juvie by hiding in a laundry bag was kinda cool. She didn’t have to smell it.

When the dream ended he woke, as always and so did Shai.

“Be that how the injured and orphans be treated in yer home?” She asked, appalled and furious.

“That was my experience, I don't get to edit it.” He deadpanned.

“What, be this Insurance god they do worship, this Hmo of the blue shield?” she demanded. “Ye did say there be no gods in yer world.”

“You understood that?” He asked, stunned. “Nae, tis a frightful accent yer people have, nae pleasant like yours.”

“Well HMO is not a god, it's like a healer's guild, you pay them money when you are healthy, so they will take care of you when you are sick.”

He stopped and scratched his head. “That doesn’t make any sense…” He shrugged, “That's how it works I guess.”

“Yer home is mad, an Tawny sees this, she shall mother thee onto death.” Shai shuddered. “I’d nae be born in yer home.”

He pulled her close. “This is home.”

Since Shai moved in, they had run and exercised together, sparred together, eaten together and generally been inseparable.

Today, Shai was to go before the smith’s guild to formally receive her brown apron. As a true outsider, Gary was not allowed in and had to wait at a cafe nearby, with other nervous family and friends. A few others were being awarded at this meeting as well.

When Shai came out fuming an hour later, she flopped down beside him, and growled. “He did delay the sacred observances. He did delay tae tell me… tae tell me, tae tell ye, tae come see the Craft priest.” She looked furious and outraged.

“He did?” Gary asked. “Is that normal?”

“Nae.” She snarled, “Tis nae normal, tis a disrespect tae me, tae me craft, tae me master and tae me lost clan.”

“What is your answer?” He asked softly. “I will back your play.”

She hugged him across the tiny cafe table. “Dinnae go in, I hae given the message as I must, Make Theo come tae ye. I do have my apron and there he has no say.”

“Ohh, done baby, that is what is going on. How hard should I make it?”

“Damnably hard boy, do make it a terrible trial as I know ye can.” she grinned.

He looked her in the eye, cold as winter in San Francisco bay. “How hard do you want me to go? Do you want tears? Do you want blood?”

“Nae, tears would do, save they be only his. It do no rise to the letting of blood, though I do like the energy, boy.” she winked.

“On a completely unrelated note, what is your money situation Shai?” Gary asked, standing up and walking over to the craft temple’s offering well across the street.

He dropped a pair of coins, one bronze and another copper into the well with a short blessing from his homeland. “Eat shit mother fucker.” Prayed aloud in english.

Shai giggled. “That were petty and small Gary and ye did drop tae much coin tae the greedy Theo.”

“The copper was for my guilty conscience, the bronze was for Theo. That will be in his personal stash by nightfall. But how is your coin Shai? I have a couple jobs lined up and need a second.”

“Aye, I could do wi some coin, save that my man be rich beyond counting.” She kicked him in the ankle. “Whae dae ye care oh great foolish one?”

“I have two jobs lined up, you get the money, I try out my prototypes. Deal? It's nothing we haven’t done before. Straight adventure board jobs.” He smiled eagerly.

“What be the jobs, what's the beastie?” She glared suspiciously.

“Trapdoors, two medium sized critters, not far apart, half a day out, we do the job we come back the next day. Easy money. I have a new prototype ring and original recipe as backup.”

“I do hate trapdoors, ye take lead on both and deal.” Shai announced, holding out a hand. He shook, and she tugged him in for a kiss.

He whispered. “This job has a bonus reward. You are going to love it.” Gary got up and went into the cafe. He spoke to the owner and exchanged a few coins. When he came out he told Shai, “I booked the patio here at the cafe two nights from now. Save the date.”

The new ring was perfect, it had a larger radius and it stored the funk in an extra-dimensional space inside a non local bronze disk.

It had vast capacity for storage and could be discharged at a safe distance all at once, or slowly, making for a truly versatile tool. The goal was to untether the ring from its physical storage device.

Gary’s work bore fruit, as his ring was performing well beyond his hopes. The dreadful spiders never stood a chance. They ended as quickly and cleanly as possible and were done with, before sundown on the first day.

In bed that night Shai was pensive. “Dae ye worry that I dinae have coin aplenty? I be no pauper, boy.”

“No, no I don’t want you to waste time worrying about money. I came into that by pure good fortune and had no idea of its worth.” He shrugged. “I’ll drop it down a well, if you want.”

“Ye would follow soon after. Perhaps later a rope.” Her smile was warm at least.

Gary made a skylight in the ceiling for some stargazing, at long last, a cold, clear, late autumn night sky. “Look Shai, see? Two moons, the big one and the little gray one.”

“It be a reflection in the glass o the skylight.” she said firmly.

“A reflection, strong theory, but there is no glass there, and I have reflection problems. Come on, let's go to the garden.”

There they were, two moons.

Shai was not pleased, she went into the garden, left the house and went a quarter mile uphill, came back and grumbled. “Two moons indeed. I be going mad.”

She sat back against him, reclining against an apple tree in the garden. “I did have a well ordered life, twas to be a journeyman an I did make a couple Contracts. I would see the world and truly journey fer me craft.” She made a blanket appear over them with a thought. “Now ye have turnt me plans on their heads.”

“Travel, adventure, luxurious accommodations and a sexy companion… what more could you ask for?” He cooed in her ear.

“Aye, tis good Liam shall be along. He be devilish handsome, though were I of different proclivities, Tawny be a sight to see.” She settled back imperiously. “Be silent and keep me warm, mayhap Otho the dog should be more comfortable.” She complained, while getting cozy.

While Shai snoozed in his arms Gary took stock of his radically altered lifestyle. Right up until She danced into his life, he could have and would have cut ties and vanished into the wilderness.

Shai had moved right in and become part of him without even leaving a ripple. She had filled up his house and made it a home just by walking through the door, there was not enough gratitude in the world for that alone.

He drifted off with her hair tickling his nose ever so slightly.

In the dining room Shai was having tea with a very small, very dark skinned asian man. He was terribly thin, in the way old marathon runners are.

“...You are most of the reason why this kid isn't a brain dead pile of meat. Keep up the good work… Oh, here he is.”

“Zygnos.” Gary said cooly, recognizing the man he had buried. “Come to check on your plots and schemes?”

“Gary!” He looked hurt and a little ashamed. “I can call you Gary, right?” Gary grumbled. “You've been living in my brain for weeks now, without permission so why not?”

“Not my fault, not your problem. I got stuck in here because your mind, body and soul are all disconnected and held together with spit and bailing wire. I can’t get out until you get your house in order.” The old man grumbled right back.

“An ye two kinnae git along I shall knock yer skulls together fer good and all!”

The old wizard grinned smugly. “Listen to her kid, she's got good instincts.”

Without any warning, Zygno’s plush armchair reached over and clasped him in a vice grip. Its four legs animated and galloped to the far corner, facing him into it. “Adults be talking, be silent.”

“I did come here and found this one lounging at the table. I do remember Zygnos Matteus, Zygnos the troublemaker.” She shot him a fondly angry look.

“Twas he came and asked fer a point fer a spear. I did forge it, wi Tallum’s aid and did forget after twas delivered, seven months agone.” She looked over the fireplace where the spear rested in its rack. It was here in the dream house just as in the real home.

“That spear head did come from mine own hands. Ye do never use it as a spear so I dinnae recognize until I did see that old wraith looking at it.” She said softly.

“Well now I like it even more.” Gary announced confidently. “As for our guest, why are you creeping around in my head? I thought you were ‘off to the next thing’ like you said in your notebook.”

The little guy just sat there sulking, looking sour. “Shai? If you would please.” With a sigh the chair galloped back to the table and released him.

“Excellent, and yes I am off to the next thing, this is a piece of me left behind in the spear. Not much, I’m a flicker of memory, animated by your own mind. The girl is the odd element, she is not supposed to be here at all.”

He looked around appraisingly. “I see what you are up to here and it's looking better, but anything bigger than me should be drawing the attention of the goon at the ropes out there. Instead you have a goonette out there too, that is just weird.”

He peered at Shai. “For a psychotic break or schizophrenic personality, she is remarkably lifelike.”

The smack she laid on him echoed slightly in the stillness. “Shai is real Z, and she is not happy with you.” Gary said, wincing at the old dude.

“That is really odd.” He said when his face was working again. “Two souls one body? No, two souls, two bodies but tangled up.” He mumbled staring off into the distance. “Compatibility is the issue.” He announced as though that cleared everything up.

“Every soul is multifarious, eternal, unchanging and infinitely changeable, all at once. Once the spear was contracted, I should have flitted away to join the rest of me. Instead I got stuck in the gap between this guy’s soul and mind, I had to wait for someone to open a door, that's why I was knocking. Thanks Shai, this guy was going to leave me out there with those losers forever.”

“What about the spear? Where does that come in?” Gary asked.

Z shook his head. “Sometimes a spear is just a spear. I made that thing, or rather Zygnos made it. I’m not exactly him. I’m also not exactly not him. It was a prototype, an experiment in crafting contract items. Turns out it's easier than I thought.”

“Compatibility is the trick. Every soul is crying out into the magical energy around it, looking for a soul that resonates, that is compatible. A friend, a pet, a lover… those bonds are important and as real as magnetism or gravity.” He looked to Gary. “Like you and me, and me and her.” He pointed a thumb at Shai.

“She made parts of that because she and I are compatible magically. That's why I chose her to make it. You and I are compatible because of the void we are linked to.”

He smiled slowly, “In a way that makes me your closest relative…” The chair bucked restively and he restrained himself.

“Without that resonance you could not have Contracted the spear. That may well be what is tangling you two kids together.” He stroked his chin, lost in thought. “Well, anyway I'm going to get lost now, being trapped in your skull was an experience.”

His chair seized him again, holding him fast.

“Ye will be giving answers first spirit” Shai said very coldly.

“I only know what Zygnos found out at the end of his life and wanted desperately to follow up on.” The spirit complained. “A bit over one thousand years ago, the magical balance of this world shifted suddenly, creating zones of uneven magical density, pressure, intensity and type. The changes were probably gradual, taking hundreds of years to become noticeable, but it reached a tipping point. Human society collapsed as monsters took over vast swaths of the world.”

“Towns and cities with temples became islands of civilization, isolated and on the defensive. The gods came together in conference and hatched a plot to save humanity from ruin.” He shook his head slowly. “Only one of the gods of man saw the trap in their plan, he pleaded and fought to stop the other gods from implementing their plan, and was cast out for his troubles.”

“Secret.” Gary guessed. “Ooh no, not him. But I don't know any more.” The spirit said.

“So why not let me in on the joke?” Gary asked.

“No joke, I had a whole plan, you poof in when I die, follow the smoke, find my stiff. Boom. You follow the trail of breadcrumbs to Wheatford, cause I left you all the supplies you needed. Amicus gets you all contracted up and then you get put on the trail I didn’t discover until too late.”

“Instead I get a kid with a soul shot full of holes and a mind so battered and crammed full of showtunes I can barely breathe without setting off a tony award winning musical.”

Shai relented and the chair released him. “Thank you, and I accept your apology, Shai.” He said primly.

“I dinnae say I were sorry ye undead sack o fart! An ye creep in on Journeyman Shai, Smith o Wheatford an tamer o the wild Gary, ye best come tae battle wi yer wits!” She barked while the chair took Z to task again.

“Is your woman done yet?” Z complained to Gary. “Ask her, I just play the music.” He grumbled at the invading spirit.

“You and your music. You know there are songs written after nineteen ninety right?” he shook his bald skeletal head. “So much yacht rock.”

“I do like the songs Gary do call Yacht rock, shade.” she said, dangerously.

“I understand you feel like I was making a game of this… but think, I can't just say ‘oh, yeah go talk to the god of Secrets’ you can't find him that way, you have to follow clues and hints, whispers and half truths.” He sighed slowly. “Follow his rules and you will learn his secret, and maybe you will see what I just missed discovering.”

Without warning or visible effect he was gone, completely.

When they woke the first flakes of snow were settling under the light of two moons, one bright and half full, the other gray and ghostly, shimmering in the reflected glow.

They went inside and dreamed no more that night.

Jennah had provided winter gear when he contracted her for his clothes and he was grateful for that kindness now. It was cold, winter was coming and she was here to stay.

The pair crunched through the gathering snow in quiet wonder. Gary, for never really having experienced foot travel in a snowy winter before.

Shai, because the damn ghost had given her too much to think about. When Gary’s guitar came out she let those thoughts fly away on her dancing feet.

Here and now was what mattered, not questions of what if and whereas.

The cold was really biting in when they came in sight of town and heard the second bell chime. The snow was still only ankle deep, but they both welcomed the town walls to cut the breeze.

The sound of their approach brought the market kids dancing along to them, skipping through the snow to welcome Shai and that weird boy.

Her chiming, jingling hips were so well known now, that a few other women had taken to wearing bells at their hips as well. The kids always knew the original when they heard it. Gary’s guitar was just accompaniment to the main event, just how he liked.

They danced their home into existence in the courtyard under gray and snowy skies, the sign now reading;

Shai’s Forge & Foundry/Ward Instrument co.

Secret Society members; use the side entrance.

“I do like it.” she announced.

“Well you got top billing… how does that work?” He griped good naturedly.

“One of us do be a journeyman… apprentice luthier Gary Ward.”

“Brutal” He mumbled as they went inside to warm up

That evening at sundown the whole group met at the cafe on temple square, across from Crafts. There was some complaining about outdoor seating, until the owner fetched a brazier full of coals for them. “Thank you master Cazares, we appreciate it! Sorry guys, I wasn’t expecting a cold snap, it doesn't get this cold where I’m from.”

“So why are we here?” Liam asked.

“Well, most of you remember Theophus, the priest of Crafts trying to shut me down and seize my goods?” They nodded. “And the discourtesy of making Shai’s big day about carrying a message to me?” She ground her teeth audibly. “Sorry dear.” He murmured.

“We, the Bathtime Yacht Club, have been twice insulted now, today we make our answer in the first of several installments.” Gary declared, solemnly twisting the ring on his left index finger.

He then settled down to a nice potato and cream soup with crusty toasted bread. “Ohh this is lovely.” He said, reaching for a cup of spiced tea, as screams rang out across the street. “I read a book in the library a couple weeks ago about the cult of crafts, they have some interesting traditions.” Gary remarked as the chaos grew behind him.

“Any coin dropped into the donation well, is by cult law, to be melted that very evening, and the metal cast into good luck tokens for the newborns on the feast of crafts.”

Shai smiled, “I do love that tradition, I do still hae my own!” She said, displaying it proudly on a chain around her neck.

“Charming. Simply charming my dear!” Otho enthused, warming his hands at the Brazier.

“Yes it is,” Gary agreed. “But some rumors persist that certain priests skim the donation well. So, stealing good fortune from the babes of the town, in violation of sacred rites.” Gary scolded the hypothetical priest.

“A shameful act, such an act must stink to the gods and spirits don’t you think?” He asked the group, all wide eyed innocence as the temple of Craft was evacuated behind him.

“On an unrelated note my new stink ring prototype is a rousing success. I can release the stored noxious aromas in a controlled manner from a safe distance.” He said with a wink. “They discharge from a simple bronze coin inscribed on the edge with my custom runes. They are very easy to miss…”

“How exactly does one turn a person orange, master Amicus?” Gary asked as they walked back to the compound.

“I don’t recommend it son, stay in your lane, you are doing fine so far.”

Otho leaned in and whispered, “He was trying to make him grow a full coat of fur, Amicus is sensitive about it.”

Shai was hugging him close and grinning in the chill air. It seems, that when the aroma of a full grown trapdoor erupted from the secret strongbox under Theo’s bed, he was in the bath.

Watching him prance naked in the chill, while his home was aired out, was as delicious as the fine chowder and good company.

“Otho, any fallout from our battle of the bands?” Gary asked in the bath.

“Rumor is that you and acolyte Dering are either blood feuding over some romantic past, or secret lovers.” He announced, highly pleased.

“Do be telling me more o this Otho” Shai growled.

“You know full well how the rumor mill works, Shai.” Otho scolded gently. “Don’t torture the boy.”

Shai had banished the awning and they were all soaking in the hot water and watching the snow drift slowly down, as Shai and Tawny were singing quietly in choral rounds:

Snow does blanket the soil/drifting down from above,

Seeds awaiting to rise and toil/spring is coming my love…

The voices were as soothing as the bath, and no one really wanted to venture into the cold snowy streets.

Soon, bodies were laid out on conjured bedding all over their little home. “Pretty full in here” Gary whispered in bed.

“Aye. Tis grand Nae?” She yawned and draped herself over him like a fussy cat. “There will be bairns ere long, an things move apace.”

That woke him up. “What are you telling me Shai?” He asked, gripped in panic.

“Tallum be planning tae Contract the god o Beasts this winternight an do mean to pledge to Ivy on the feast o Joy. They kinnae marry til she be twenty, but tis a fine thing.”

She sprawled over him even more invasively. “I do hear that bairns do sometimes precede the marriage vows… I dinnae ken how that can be though…” She poked him in tender locations with a toe. “Kin ye explain that tae me? O wise man frae another world?”

Every second week, the Bathers would troop out of the town and patrol a quarter of the town’s perimeter, handling any notices from the Adventurer’s guild board in that area.

It was pretty routine, three days in the woods and then back to the daily lives they were creating for themselves.

The Bathers were taking over for a team of semi retired, semi pro adventurers assembled from the local craft halls.

It was an unpopular duty and the prevalence of spore wasps and trapdoors was enough to discourage most from taking up the trade. The craft halls were more than happy to cede the duty to the youngsters, despite the pay being excellent.

The woodcutters lodge was particularly pleased, since Gary did some forestry work as they traveled, flagging trees for harvest or clearing and maintaining the trails. The trails thing was mostly Tallum, he loved swinging a machete for some reason.

“You ran off Irdall too, he lit out the day you joined the guild and never came back, said you were possessed of evil magic” Adan clapped him on the ribs, unable to reach a shoulder. “That's another point in your favor, that guy was a creep.”

Gary shrugged, he had hardly thought of the first and only person he had ever struck with a weapon. “Mulch in my garden or out of my sight, I don't care which, Adan.” He replied enigmatically. “He made the right choice to scoot.”

Gary’s pursuit of skills did not stop, he rotated through most of the common day labor jobs picking up a fistful of tricks along the way.

Butchery was not glamorous, he gained the climbing skill working with the thatcher, but thatching used the weaving skill he already had.

He picked up a little of the jewelers' trade, when a recommendation from the quarrymaster opened that door uptown.

At least he could make his stink rings a little more artfully. That was taking up a good portion of his afternoons. Mikkel had ten of them heading down river to Port Fallon and it's more active Adventuring community.

His stint at the jeweler led to a few days at the perfumer’s shop, learning about aromatic herbs, oils and decoctions. The perfumer was the jeweler’s cousin, while the quarrymaster was an uncle of the jewelers wife’s… it was complicated.

That led to a brief time working with the alchemists guild as a day laborer. A few songs, a bit of gift and a sprinkle of charm and Gary had an angle on some part time apprentice action.

Shai came up from the workshop when a cart rumbled up outside and something heavy trundled into the house.

Conjured drop cloths were vanishing from the floor as Gary waved the carter a friendly good-bye.

“What be that contraption boy?” She demanded, pointing to the coffin in her shopfront.

“I thought it was a harpsichord, but it's a pianoforte!” He failed to explain, while taking a seat and starting Little Brown Jug. “I bought it from Farnagahn the merchant, no relation.” He cheerfully sang, “We're celebrating, I am going to start on alchemy!”

“I canae believe me life hae come tae this…” She sighed, beginning a complex heel and toe step dance she had been working on.

There were rumors circling in the market ward. Tales of upper level clergy from War, coming to town for the upcoming feast. That made avoiding the priest of Craft a simple matter. His smithy, like all the others, was swamped with work.

Every cultist of War just had to have his armor and weapons polished bright, sharpened keenly and dressed to kill. Gary turned down a ton of easy money just to avoid drawing Craft’s ire.

Shai had no such compunctions and cheerfully made a tidy sum, on what amounted to routine maintenance and a little extra care.

Once Shai figured out Gary’s tools, it was all over for the other smiths in town. The girl was a monster at the buffing and grinding station. That was probably what had brought him to the Craft cult’s attention, Shai’s suddenly increased output, she loved shiny stuff, and making stuff shiny.

Theo’s minions were around, sniffing for any excuse, though the Adventurer’s guild had a few tricks of its own.

Provision had been made centuries before, allowing Adventurers to operate craft halls within the compound. This limited their size and scope, preventing competition with the established halls.

That suited their little group perfectly, leaving no room for Craft to wriggle in with demands. They still tried, there was one outside drawing a sketch of the shop front even now, no doubt to be used as evidence in some shenanagin with the law.

Gary was amusing himself by making the awning over the door change in subtle ways whenever the craft priest looked away. He was starting to twitch and his art was suffering for it.

Shai came out to see why the home was feeling strange, to discover that the shopfront was now composed of irregular stone blocks, draped in creeping vines. Hideous stone faces leered from horrid the jungle temple, made manifest in a quiet down country town.

An altar of rune inscribed basalt stood at the top of the stairs, runnells of caked black blood sluggishly dripping down.

“Boy! Dinae be making unwholesome dark temples o me home! Lest I cut yer heart out on yer own altar!” She shouted, jingling in delightful ways.

“I was just thinking this could give our stage presence the boost we need to win the next battle of the bands!”

She hugged her mooncalf close and whispered, “Put it back, the priest has fled.”

He laughed deep and long, a clean healthy sound. “Oh yeah, a while ago, I started making the sign spell out dire and ominous couplets like some shitty seer, he ran off after that.”

“Play with yer toys in the woods where none may see, fool!” she scolded while admiring the temple. “Tis frightful! Fer winternight the Bairns will love this!”

“Is winternight your spooky holiday?”

She grinned with excitement. “Aye, tis the feast o secrets, a time fer mysterious doings and rare pranks. So, much as ye do every day. Have ye a holiday of this kind boy?”

His smile was radiant and sad at once, “Halloween, it was my family’s big holiday. I’ll tell you all about it. Right now I wanna know about winternight.” In the sitting area of their little shop, Shai began telling the story;

In the days when mankind roamed the land and seas unchallenged, some even say men and women flew like birds.

Healer’s summer days seemed to last forever, and winter’s bite was not so sharp, when the children of man would laugh, all the world leapt with Joy.

The songs of man made the forests dance and sea creatures frolick beneath the waves.

Golden sundrenched days must always end.

Man had nearly forgotten War, his brazen call remembered dimly, his rites carried on by few.

Order held sway in cities and towns, while Beast owned the wild and untamed places.

Craft and his arts gave the people tools to shape their lives from the world with careful and clever hands.

Secret, steeped in mysteries and unwise in his curiosity led man into the deeper places where wisdom is forgotten and doors, once opened cannot close.

Foolish seekers of the forbidden, pulled the doors of night open. Tears and sorrow passed into the world, riding the claws and fangs of monsters.

Only monsters threatened the peace, fierce and ravenous, their threat was answered by the orphan’s Guild of Adventurers.

The Orphans of man, bound in brotherhood and fury, wrought war on monsters.

War did hear their cries of battle and rage, bringing his might back into the realms of man.

Together, War and Adventure pushed the monsters into the wildlands and wastes, sacrifice and blood was the cost, and on winternight we remember.

Secrets are best left forgotten.

“That kinda sounds like the god of Secrets has something to do with monsters..”

Shai looked at him as though he were speaking utter gibberish. “That dinae make sense at all.”

Gary sighed and crumpled into his plush sofa and plush woman. From within her bosom he said. “The theology of this place is nuts, you know there's not a single book on history, law or geography in this town? No maps. No book of myths or legends, it's all oral history.”

She patted his head, shushing him. “Foolish boy whae need fer books o history or religion, we do learn it at the… ohh, that be an ongoing problem indeed.”

“Yeah, I feel like I'm going nuts… ok, more nuts. So on winternight you celebrate forgetting things?”

Shai had a look that was getting a lot of practice. It was part ‘I cant believe im trying to explain this’ with a splash of ‘are you mentally defective?’ and a garnish of vague impatience.

“Hae ye asked Otho, or Secret, boy? Or Amicus? Fie! I be a smith, had ye nae such bonny knees t’would be a hard road tae keep ye about me.”

“I can just ask Secret? I don't know how to do that.”

That look again. “What hae ye tried?”

He felt even dumber now. “I asked you…” Her sigh seemed to echo slightly.

“I did think ye were but a lost lamb, then I did feel yer gifts and think ye a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” She shook her head sadly. “Then I did se ye fight, a little lost lamb indeed. Now do the priests of Craft see the wolf.” She pulled him to his feet. “I shall nae ever be bored boy. Come, we go speak to Otho of this.”

At the temple of Joy they found Otho in his “office”, the large chamber was a riot of well tended foliage and blooms. They cascaded and twined over shelves lined with the mementos of a very, very long life well lived.

He was seated across a tea table from a large middle aged man in robes of deep red. “…in the last twenty years this orphanage has sent less than fifteen souls to War, I am come to remedy this. War must have his due…” They both looked up as the young people entered.

“Children, please await me in the temple garden, I will be available shortly.” Otho said firmly. “Priest Gomez, you will find that War always receives his due, but this orphanage is Joy’s to administer, thus those Contracts are to be distributed in the traditional manner. Do call again.”

“War is not to be forestalled so easily. I have heard you are forming another of your ill thought out adventuring bands. War will not allow his property to be so foolishly spent!” The man nearly spat, leaning forward aggressively. Fixing Otho with a pointed finger. “Are these some of your thefts in progress? Come to me, you two!”

As they both bristled visibly, Otho grinned with anticipation. “Those two? Ohh, heavens no, feel free to offer them Contracts, should they accept I have no qualms. But make no mistake, until their majority… They. Are. Mine.”

As he spoke the final words a sensation pressed down on the room. Not a burdensome or terrible weight, but the attention, the gaze of something vast and unknowable.

The stress of a child forced to a boring task on a sunny day, burned in each heart in the room. The terrible urge to run and leap for the Joyous sensation of movement and the passion of dance inflamed each person.

“More particularly, they both belong to Joy. That fact cannot be changed so long as I am the guardian of this refuge.” His smile was still fixed “Here in this town you must use persuasion, Order may turn a blind eye to your activities, but Joy is keenly interested in these events.”

They withdrew at Otho’s urging, leaving the red robed priest to fume impotently. The almost oppressive sensation was only relieved when he brought out the mandolin and she began dancing to a few irish reels.

The pair were joined by Daniel, who sat with them as they waited for Otho.

“Apprentice Ward, the drums adventurer Ivy was playing, is that some new working from your craft hall? Acolyte Habib was very very curious. Could you find some time to see him at your shop this week?”

Gary nodded, “Sure, quick question though, you gave Ivy the title adventurer, but called me apprentice… why is that?” Daniel smiled patronizingly. “I’ve seen you spar with Liam.”

“That hurts man, I will have you know I have a number of dead monsters under my belt! Groundworms are tasty!”

Now both Daniel and Shai looked patronizing. “There be no true monsters in this valley, nor can they come near tae any town wi a temple. Groundworms and trapdoors be vermin.”

Daniel nodded. “They are little more threatening than any mundane animal of their size, often far, far less. An angry mundane bear is far more deadly than a wallowbear”

His gaze sharpened. “What kind of orphan can’t fight, knows insane songs and has odd gifts, yet knows nothing of monsters or the way of the world? It is almost as though you fell from the sky.” Gary started playing his mandolin again, something distracting and bright.

“I’m just another orphan lost in this big old world, how could I be more than that?”

Shai kicked him in the ankle, grumbling. “Dinae tease, Daniel, he be touched by the moon and nothing more.”

Daniel nodded wisely. “Music and madness do have their correlations…”